after hip replacement surgery?

I've had both hips replaced in separate surgeries @ age 59. In my experiences it was the hospital's occupational therapist who taught me how to dress and undress myself and generally cope with the recovery period. She provided me with a set of tools to use that included a reacher, dressing stick, sock helper, long-handled bath brush and long-handled shoe horn. All of these had a use in dressing and undressing. Examples: the dressing stick could push a sock or shoe off the heel; either the reacher or dressing stick helped pull pants on and push them off; the sock helper was essential in putting on the TEDS socks that I was required to wear for the first post-op month.

I assume that arrangements have already been made for an elevated toilet seat or a commode (with arms), a walker and/or crutches, and a cane (for later). Other goodies that are nice to have include a shower seat, a shower head on a hose for easy showering while seated, and sometimes people install grab bars in the bathroom (I didn't). He needs a place to sit at home - a firm chair with a seat that's at least as high as the bend in his knees and that has arms (to support him when he rises and sits).

He can be most independent if the things that he will use most frequently are located where he doesn't have to stoop to get into a lower cabinet, drawer, or shelf (because of the precautions his surgeon may have imposed). This means that items in the kitchen, bedroom and bath that he uses should be relocated to a level above his knees.

For safety, he needs a clear path through the rooms in the house that he will use, free of throw rugs and clutter.

Pulling up underwear isn't difficult if it isn't allowed to drop to the floor! But if it does, the handy dandy reacher is just the tool to use. I kept mine velcroed to my walker so I'd always have it handy. I also put a bag on my walker and carried my portable phone, book, water bottle, etc. with me wherever I went in the house.

He may need someone to help him lift his operated leg onto the bed the first few days until he masters the art of dragging it into bed. There is also a tool (basically it's a strap on the end of a stick) that is designed to enable the patient to lift their leg to the bed.

He won't be able to do things such as cut his own toenails for awhile so he'll need help with that eventually.

First your Dad will not be allowed home until he can use the toilet, meaning pulling up and down the trousers, boxers and so on. However, you need to make life easier at home so look at this:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00356